When trying to decide whether to pay for a professional calibration, consumers have some choices to make. There are usually more than one calibrator active in your area. So how do you choose?
Let me suggest three criteria that are the most important when choosing a video calibrator.
Good understanding of color science
If the calibrator does not have a firm grasp of the principles of video calibration, then nothing else matters. There are no formal academic qualifications that directly apply. You must judge for yourself whether the calibrator has a sound foundation of the basic principles and practical application of video calibration. For example, you might request samples of any written material the calibrator has authored or hardware or software they have developed to support the calibration process as a way of measuring this.
Significant real-world experience
How long has the calibrator been in business? How many displays has he or she worked on? Does he or she have any experience with the type of display you wish to have calibrated? Note: Models change very year, so it is less important that the calibrator have experience with the exact model you want worked on. All that is important is that the calibrator is familiar with the procedures necessary to complete the necessary tasks (e.g., service menu access, user menu options, and any important model-specific "gotchas").
Professional quality tools Does the calibrator use tools that meet professional standards? Fortunately, we have an professional organization that sets such standards. SMPTE (The Society for Motion Picture Technology and Engineering) has set standards as part of the new Digital Cinema Initiative, and they were contained in SMPTE 431-3 (draft). In summary, SMPTE requires that chromaticity (color) must
be measured with a instrument with a minimum
accuracy of ±0.002 for the measurement of xy
chromaticity coordinates at any luminance above 3 fL.
The only instrument capable of this level of precision is a 5nm spectroradiometer. A tristimulus colorimeter will not offer this level of accuracy, nor will an 8nm or 10nm spectroradiometer.
